Sometimes
by Greg'sgirl5
Summary: Sometimes, you need a true friend, to make you realize when you need help. Especially on Christmas Eve. Sara and Greg friendship, GSR. Oneshot, but open to writing more if wanted!


_Disclaimer: I wish I owned CSI, but sadly, I don't._

**Sometimes.**

Sara waved her hand at the bartender, and he poured her the fifth beer that night. Or was it the sixth? Seventh? She wasn't sure. Actually she wasn't sure of anything.

What she did know was that it was Christmas eve, and she was alone. Where was Grissom? At the airport in France, probably sleeping, like he was supposed to on the flight. The flight that got cancelled.

Sara took another gulp, blinking at the burning in her throat.

Grissom would have hated to see her like this. She was on a drinking binge. One of countless she'd been on in the past years. She wasn't proud of it. She was self-destructive, she gave in easily and honestly, she just didn't care anymore.

The bar was empty, one other person in the far corner with a couple empty shot glasses in front of them. Sara downed the last of her glass, the instant craving for more consuming her. She wasn't an alcoholic, but when she went on a binge, this just sort of... happened.

She began to feel the effects bear into her. Over the years, she'd built up a pretty good tolerance for alcohol, and even after six or whatever it was beers, she was only beginning to feel drunk.

A sudden wave of guilt washed over her. Grissom would be so upset. She would make sure not to tell him about this. She never really told him about any of her drinking binges.

Everyone else had someone to be with on Christmas eve. Catherine was probably at home, curled up on the couch with Lindsay, watching Christmas specials. Nick was in Texas, with his overly large family. Ray was... well she had no idea where he was. And Greg had his parents and Papa Olaf coming to town. But Sara... Sara was alone.

An exasperated voice behind her made Sara jump.

"Come on Sara..." She spun around looking at Greg with a dumbstruck expression. What was he doing here?

She was silent as he stared at her, his jacket crinkled from the wind.

"Where's Grissom?" He asked, glancing at the empty two bottles beside her. He tried to hide it, but she saw the flash of frustration in his eyes.

"His flight got cancelled." She muttered, feeling annoyed as he moved to sit down beside her.

"Sara," He started, but she put a hand on his arm.

"Go home Greg. Go be with your family. I'm fine." Her voice was firm, and she expected him to listen. But he shook his head.

"No Sara. Your not fine. Look, I know what its like Sara. Beer dulls the senses, we don't feel the same emotions we did before. Believe me, I understand." His voice was soft, she'd never heard him like that before.

"You don't have a drinking problem Greg." She told him defiantly, but realized that she'd just admitted she had one. Her sigh was barely heard over the noise the door made as it opened and slammed shut.

Greg looked down. "I did." He admitted, his expression going from caring to regretful. "My first few weeks as a CSI. I was drinking every night. At bars, at home... wherever."

Sara stared at him in disbelief. She never would have guessed. Greg was perky, goofy and caring. She Hadn't realized anything like that was going on. Inside her head she scorned herself. She really needed to be more aware of the people around her.

"It was hard. Seeing the bodies, learning that they had families, friends and people who cared about them. Those...those thoughts just wouldn't go away Sar." He stuttered out, and Sara found it harder not to hug him as he used his nickname for her.

"Drinking," He said, gesturing to the bottles, "doesn't help. You know that. The pictures don't go away. They just get a little blurred. And I thought that was the solution. But those thoughts come back even stronger in the morning Sara. I just... learned to ignore it. And so I drank every night, hoping that eventually, it would become easier to deal with." Sara looked at him, knowing he was right. And knowing that she was doing exactly what he was describing. She had been for years. "But it doesn't."

"I know Greg." She admitted, squeezing his arm. "But I'm okay." In her head she scorned herself once more. Lying wasn't going to help. "Go be with you family."

"My family isn't here. They're coming tomorrow. I told you that." He told her, his eyes becoming slightly worried. _Had he? _

The whole day had been a blur. They had dozens of cases, mostly suicides. As she always had, Sara immersed herself in work, not allowing any time for personal thoughts. And then Grissom had called her, and her heart felt as though it had shattered. She had driven straight to the bar after work, and sat on the stool, drinking her sorrows away. But like Greg had just said, it wasn't really working.

"Come on." Greg said, breaking her out of her painful thoughts. He grabbed her arm, pulling her off the stool.

"No, Greg. I'm not going anywhere." She just wanted to stay here.

He looked at her, almost pitifully, and she felt ashamed. "Sara. You don't get it do you? This is only going to get worse. I'm not letting you spend Christmas eve in a bar, completely drunk. Think about it, what would Grissom say if he knew?"

Tat last comment did it. Grissom meant the world to her. No, he _was _the world to her. And somehow, she managed to force herself towards Greg.

She walked beside him, straight out the bar door. The slightly cold Vegas air hit her face, fairly soothing.

The took a few steps before she blurted it out.

"He doesn't know about it." Greg looked at her seeming confused, so she continued. "Grissom doesn't know that I still drink. I didn't do it when he was with me... I didn't need to."

Greg sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "You should tell him. That's what helped me stop. You just have to tell someone your close to. And I know he means everything to you Sara. I see the way you smile when he calls you."

She smirked, but it faded when she remembered the first half of his words. How had she not known? He was like her little brother, she Hadn't looked out for him. She hadn't been there when he needed it.

"I'm sorry. That I didn't pay more attention to you when you needed it. You're like my brother... I should have been looking out for you." She told him, searching for acceptance in his deep brown eyes.

But instead he shook his head. "It's okay Sar. I actually didn't want you to know. I looked up to you and... well you know.. I-"

"Had a crush on me." She finished for him, surprised it wasn't awkward to do so.

He seemed to react normally, but Sara saw the slight flush on his cheeks.

"You knew about that?" He asked, but his smile stayed in place. She chuckled and nodded.

"Please, the whole lab knew. It's not like you exactly kept it quiet." They both laughed at this, they're chuckles echoing throughout the air.

"But I am sorry." She said, and the laughter seized.

"It's okay. I... I ended up talking to Nick. He helped me." Greg said, and started walking, Sara right beside him.

When she thought about it, she seemed to remember seeing the two spend more time together, Nick became pretty protective of Greg. Well, more so than he had been before. Maybe this was why.

The two walked in silence,just the sounds of their footsteps filling the chilled air around them.

Soon Sara realized they were at Greg's apartment. "Greg, it's Christmas eve, I'm not going to intrude..."

He looked at her, an expression of mock annoyance on his face.

"Seriously Sara? Intrude on what? Me sitting alone on my couch? Why are you so stubborn? If you're not spending tonight with Grissom, you're spending it with me."

Well, she couldn't say anything to that. So she sighed and gave in, leaning into him as he put an arm around her waist.

Somehow, her depressive thoughts on Grissom's absence had disappeared, leaving a better mindset inside her.

**Awwww :) Did you like it? Please review, I love reviews :) If you want me to add more... I guess I could...**


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